The Design blog

Kinesis is a brilliant combination of a bicycle, car and motorcycle. The concept is wholly based on the physical term “Kinetics”. It simply describes the energy possessed by the body due to the virtue of its motion. Boston based Media Lab collaborator, Marcus Martinez, has proposed this ultra-modern three wheeled electric concept. The concept is still under study, yet proves to become very successful. Kinesis will not be able to overtake cars, but it will earn enormous carbon credits.

Canadian educator Marshal McLuhan’s words and the French physician Georges Canguilhem’s theories are some of the major inspirations behind this electric concept. Marcus wondered about the relationship between man and machines. He asked himself about how machines have led us dependent on them entirely, without even realizing it. He decided to bring out the relationship between energy, storage and independence through a single machine. It ultimately led to the creation of Kinesis which is purely based on the physical term, Kinetics.

Design

In a nutshell, Kinesis is a three wheeled vehicle that utilizes electric energy for propulsion. It is designed for a single passenger who needs to be the driver obviously. Like any other electric vehicle, the power for the electric motor in Kinesis is extracted from the batteries. However, the way in which the batteries are charged here is totally different. Initially, mechanical energy is converted into electric energy which is then fed to the electric motor. Of course, mechanical energy should be created by the driver through pedals as in a bicycle. However, the pedaling technique is quite simple here and doesn’t need much effort as in a conventional bicycle.The pedals can be used at any place or time because they don’t power up the wheels directly, but through the energy stored in the battery module. It literally means that pedaling at stop signals will only store energy in the battery which could be utilized later.

The design of the vehicle is quite impressive and compact as well. The front axle has two bigger wheels, while a rigid, small wheel balances the vehicle at the rear. It is delightful to know that the rear wheel is actually powered, while the front wheels are designed to assist steering. This concept possesses a 250kW electric motor that fits in the rear wheel with ease. The created mechanical energy is stored in the battery through a series of gears, a resistance controller and a generator. In fact, these three devices are highly responsible for the vehicle’s dynamic experience because they work in tandem.

The concept is pretty ergonomically designed to offer maximum comfort. The rider can easily board and exit the vehicle. The windshield and the wheels are coupled to the folding chassis which is highly responsible for making the vehicle more compact when not in use. The chassis can pull back the rear part by compressing itself, while utilizing the unused space above. The cabin’s open design gives a wide view and natural ventilation. Well, Kinesis is an innovative concept with a futuristic vision that can largely minimize the carbon footprints.